Why I will never use travel agents again

[Eagle_and_hawk]

Your TA can do that for you. Ours has it in the notes about us and she does it automatically.

 

Also, if you book direct via the phone, tell the agent "no upgrade". One call does it all.:)

 

Yes, I realize the TA can do it, but I want to confirm it with Princess myself. I found a couple of times in the past, the TA didn't request it or some other excuse as to why it didn't get set up that way, even though we told them that is what we wanted.

[Eagle_and_hawk]

To save hundreds plus extra OBC, I'll deal with the 'middle man".:D Just need to do your research.

 

I agree. :)

 

If I was not getting anything out of dealing with a TA over the regular Princess fares, then I was stay with direct bookings too.

[Jimmy Geegitz]

To save hundreds plus extra OBC, I'll deal with the 'middle man".:D Just need to do your research.

 

Agree on the research. No travel agent can match the OBC and low fare I have for my Regal cruise. And I am dealing direct if I need any changes or have any questions. Even interline couldn't get me a better deal this time. I do book interline occasionally.

[mreasier]

Our TA gives us 7% to 10% off the cruise fare (cruise only - not air, taxes, etc.). Over the years we have saved thousands of dollars over booking direct. We still get all the Princess OBC we are due. They have quickly re-fared a cruise when there was a price drop with no change fee. They have a $50 cancellation fee. I'll take that risk any time for saving hundreds of dollars off the cruise fare.

Edited July 27, 2016 by mreasier

[pris993]

I have an upcoming Princess cruise for march 2017. A Celebrity offer has come to light. A better offer. Better dates etc.

 

Being well over the 181 days for a penalty free cancellation I thought great lets make the switch. However I didnt realise my agent had there own set of cancelation policy ontop of Princess. We require to pay a fee for cancelation. I would understand a small fee since its extra work but I think $300 is a little excessive.

 

They also charge fees for refairing etc (so price drops are useless). Ontop of my frustration I specifically asked if a penalty free cancelation will be honoured by princess prior to booking since we weren't sure about the dates.

 

Adding to my frustration it states a change in cruise date is permitted for $50. I argued that since they are retaining the commission isnt it a change in date. They argued since it involves cancelling our cruise and booking another. No we incure the cancelation fee. The $50 is only charged within the same booking... one is not sure how you book a new departure date for the same cruise.

 

Has anyone experienced this before. I.e agent fees ontop of cruise lines?

 

 

I stopped using a TA when fees for changes were instituted up to $100 pp for a cruise and plus charges for airline ticketing of $50 domestic/$100 international pp some years ago.

 

Plus, TA often would give us on OBC that Princess would give us and claim as a gift from her when we knew differently.

 

Now I book my own cruise directly with the line; air and hotels again directly with the companies and am free to change the cruise and hotels without any penalties.

 

Book my own travel insurance as well with Travel Guard, purchase an annual policy for $500 for two, compared to the $700 TA was charging for one trip.

 

I am way ahead.

[Shogun]

Hi

 

Had a b2b2b cruise to Aus with stop overs onway down and way back,

 

needed to drop on section price went up, agent said fees cancellation etc,

 

so I said wanted Princess to take over booking he said ok but I keep all monies

 

paid to date, Princess got involved and thought agent was not acting in a proper

 

manner,but could not stop him keeping money, so have never used them since

 

and told ever one I know locally never to use them,

 

yours Shogun

[capriccio]

Our TA gives us 7% to 10% off the cruise fare (cruise only - not air, taxes, etc.). Over the years we have saved thousands of dollars over booking direct. We still get all the Princess OBC we are due. They have quickly re-fared a cruise when there was a price drop with no change fee. They have a $50 cancellation fee. I'll take that risk any time for saving hundreds of dollars off the cruise fare.

 

Mine does that too but without a cancellation fee. We tend to plan our cruises a year in advance and our TA always gives us an 8% to 10% (even more on the occasional cruise) lower fare and frequently throws in some group OBC. She re-fares price drops with no change fee.

 

We booked direct with Princess once without even consulting our TA - adding a 5 day cruise to 12 day cruise less than three weeks before departure. The price was already dirt cheap. It was the only time we have booked a guarantee - we booked an ME mini suite and were assigned to an MA mini 2 days later and then a few days after that we were offered an almost free upsell to a full suite. So that worked out really well but normally it is a no-brainer to work with our TA. More money in our pockets for excursions, gratuities, drinks, etc. is a good thing!

[dd likes to cruise]

In the TA threads I've been reading the last few months it looks like if you are booking suites and high end bookings, the TA is giving you decent OBC. If you are booking balcony cabins or lower, not much different from booking direct. Is that what others are finding?

 

I have found an occasional extra 50-100 OBC on some TA ads. Not the large 800-1000 some posters are talking about.

[Colo Cruiser]

Agree on the research. No travel agent can match the OBC and low fare I have for my Regal cruise. And I am dealing direct if I need any changes or have any questions. Even interline couldn't get me a better deal this time. I do book interline occasionally.

 

 

If I had your deal and transferred it to my TA I would get an additional 10 plus % and the possibility of more OBC. ;)

[spyro1952]

I used a TA for many years but began see problems a few years ago. She charged my friend's credit card for a cruise she never booked and initially denied a problem (very embarrassing for me too). Her prices were better than what Princess would post but like others said, never any perks from the TA.

Last year I had to cancel a cruise I had just made final payment on and when I called her, she was not helpful at all, just blew me off. So since then I've just blown her off too.

 

I am a control freak also so booking direct with Princess works for me. There expanded customer service hours are great. My TA didn't work Fridays or weekends.

 

Also the TA needed final payment about 2 weeks before Princess requires it so I can keep my money in my account right up until a few days before final payment. I have never had a bad experience with any Princess rep. They've all been great. I do think TA's are going the way of 8 tracks, betamax, and cassettes. Most people book their own airline tickets and more and more are booking their own cruises

[mreasier]

In the TA threads I've been reading the last few months it looks like if you are booking suites and high end bookings, the TA is giving you decent OBC. If you are booking balcony cabins or lower, not much different from booking direct. Is that what others are finding?

 

I have found an occasional extra 50-100 OBC on some TA ads. Not the large 800-1000 some posters are talking about.

We usually book insides and still get 7% to 10% off the Princess fare.

[JimmyVWine]

While I can certainly appreciate the desire of many to save 7%-10%, I weigh that against the chances that the TA will screw up 7%-10% of my cruises. Most TA I have come across are young, inexperienced and less travel-savvy than I am. Between Princess sales prices and re-faring, my cruise prices are usually low enough where a 10% savings isn't meaningful enough for me to cede control and risk a mistake. And frankly, I have never found a TA who can dip 7%-10% below the lowest price that I get direct. I suppose I could if I booked 2 years in advance on a popular sailing. But I usually stick with super sales and would typically get quotes from TAs that would shave $50-$75 off of that at best. For that level of savings, I prefer to keep control over my booking.

[Sascol]

You all need better TAs. We ALWAYS use our TA and...

 

- No charge ever for cancelling a cruise

- No charge ever for switching a cruise

- No charge ever or rebooking at a lower rate prior to final payment

- Any rate I find she will match 90% of the time unless it is something beyond her control

- She also gives us perks on top of what the cruise line gives (OBC, wine, etc.)

 

We have used her for at least 15 cruises and have made many, many adjustments after booking and making a deposit. I would never book w/out using my TA.

Edited July 27, 2016 by Sascol

[Colo Cruiser]

You all need better TAs. We ALWAYS use our TA and...

 

- No charge ever for cancelling a cruise

- No charge ever for switching a cruise

- No charge ever or rebooking at a lower rate prior to final payment

- Any rate I find she will match 90% of the time unless it is something beyond her control

- She also gives us perks on top of what the cruise line gives (OBC, wine, etc.)

 

We have used her for at least 15 cruises and have made many, many adjustments after booking and making a deposit. I would never book w/out using my TA.

 

 

I agree! :)

[msg74]

Yes,important point!

 

Always mark your cabin "No Upgrade" if you have booked a cabin you do not want to lose. They can still move you, but this will give you more leverage, to move back or get a better cabin .

 

Reader

 

Wow... didn't know that one. Thanks!

[Viesczy]

People talk about better deals from TAs I've spoken to literally dozens, not one has ever been able to offer me anything better than the line has direct.

 

Not sure where people get the ones who rebate commission as OBC but I've never been able to get such an offer.

 

I too had the same experience, that direct and the TA had virtually the same offer. The TAs we used in the past might give a slightly better OBC but had a smaller selection of cabins to pick from as compared to the line itself.

 

The best "deals" I've found actually have come from the national warehouse clubs chains as at times they give killer amounts of store credit & the same OBC as a TA or the line.

[MCC retired]

Not all Agencies charge the excessive fee's noted by the OP.

You should always interview your TA before ever booking with them .

 

Never booking with a TA again , sentences you to always paying current retail price for your cruise . Especially significant with Princess as they permit TA Discounting their rates upfront (just can't advertise discounted rate).

[geoherb]

Before booking with any travel agency, find out if they have any fees for changes, cancellations, etc. Don't book with any who do. We're saving 20 percent on our upcoming HAL cruise booked with a discount agency. The difference will cover a lot of onboard spending.

[donaldsc]

To the people who complain about TA fees I make only one comment - read the fine print or ask them about their policies before you book with them. Also demand that they confirm their policies in writing before you book. If you have not done that, don't complain if your TA has unexpected fees. If you do not do due diligence, you deserve whatever happens to you..

 

We have a TA whom we have used for a number of years. We get good service from him and we get a check from him before each cruise. We prefer a check as opposed to OBC or a bottle of wine. Most important, he fights for us if he feels that the cruise company is screwing us.

 

Can't complain.

 

DON

[Happy2cruise]

I have an upcoming Princess cruise for march 2017. A Celebrity offer has come to light. A better offer. Better dates etc.

 

Being well over the 181 days for a penalty free cancellation I thought great lets make the switch. However I didnt realise my agent had there own set of cancelation policy ontop of Princess. We require to pay a fee for cancelation. I would understand a small fee since its extra work but I think $300 is a little excessive.

 

They also charge fees for refairing etc (so price drops are useless). Ontop of my frustration I specifically asked if a penalty free cancelation will be honoured by princess prior to booking since we weren't sure about the dates.

 

Adding to my frustration it states a change in cruise date is permitted for $50. I argued that since they are retaining the commission isnt it a change in date. They argued since it involves cancelling our cruise and booking another. No we incure the cancelation fee. The $50 is only charged within the same booking... one is not sure how you book a new departure date for the same cruise.

 

Has anyone experienced this before. I.e agent fees ontop of cruise lines?

We just cancelled a cruise on Celebrity and re- booked one on Princess thru our TA. Absolutely no charge for anything from either TA or cruiselines.

[Murphey]

You all need better TAs. We ALWAYS use our TA and...

 

- No charge ever for cancelling a cruise

- No charge ever for switching a cruise

- No charge ever or rebooking at a lower rate prior to final payment

- Any rate I find she will match 90% of the time unless it is something beyond her control

- She also gives us perks on top of what the cruise line gives (OBC, wine, etc.)

 

We have used her for at least 15 cruises and have made many, many adjustments after booking and making a deposit. I would never book w/out using my TA.

 

Absolutely!!! I would never even think of booking directly with Princess. Always get a better price, great service and we always get goodies over and above any Princess promo!!! And as someone else posted, I am supporting a small business owner. You peeps are using the wrong agents! And, yes I am a control freak.....

[reedprincess]

Small, but very important, side note - the OP is in Australia, where booking conditions are very different than in the US. As they are in virtually all countries except US and Canada. For those of us outside the North American area, booking conditions usually have stricter and earlier final payment dates, costs to change cabins before final payment, stricter cancellation policies ( non-refundable deposits, etc), and so on... It stands to reason that travel agents have different policies in said countries than in North America also...

So, make sure you're comparing apples to apples as most of us around the world do not have the generous change or cancellation policies that those of you booking in NA have...

[Murphey]

Small, but very important, side note - the OP is in Australia, where booking conditions are very different than in the US. As they are in virtually all countries except US and Canada. For those of us outside the North American area, booking conditions usually have stricter and earlier final payment dates, costs to change cabins before final payment, stricter cancellation policies ( non-refundable deposits, etc), and so on... It stands to reason that travel agents have different policies in said countries than in North America also...

So, make sure you're comparing apples to apples as most of us around the world do not have the generous change or cancellation policies that those of you booking in NA have...

 

Good point.

[dreaminofcruisin]

I will join the list of those who have given up on TAs. I have tried 3 different ones. The first one was ok.....my first cruise so didn't really know what I was doing, but I don't think she saved us any money. Also, I had to keep telling her the dates I needed my rental car (did a DIY on land at the end) as she kept confusing it...even though most of our communication was via email.

 

The 2nd one was an online one. They screwed up my son's birthdate. Not sure how that could happen when it was entered correctly at my end. It was a 'kids sail free' deal, so maybe that had something to do with it (MSC not Princess...maybe it was them not the TA....) Fortunately, I noticed it prior to leaving and got it straightened out.

 

The most recent one really did none of the work which was fine with me. I did get $75 OBC, but there would have been a cancellation fee if I had cancelled. The last straw was when I was asking her about Travel Insurance and I realized I understood it better than she did....ended up going with Insure My Trip online. Never heard from her after final payment. I am not real big on Customer Service, but in this day and age....how hard would it be to send an email and say "Have a Nice Trip!". Just saying.... I don't book suites, but I do always book balconies, so it would seem she must have 'made' something...

 

The 1st and 3rd ones were big chain national travel companies....so I am pretty sure they must book a lot of cruises...

 

If I saw a 'deal' online somewhere, I 'might' be inclined to try it, but I think I have just been happier the times I have done it directly with Princess online.

 

Congratulations to those of you who get wonderful perks from your TAs. I think you are very fortunate as I believe good ones are really few and far between... :eek:

[iceleven]

While I can certainly appreciate the desire of many to save 7%-10%, I weigh that against the chances that the TA will screw up 7%-10% of my cruises. Most TA I have come across are young, inexperienced and less travel-savvy than I am. Between Princess sales prices and re-faring, my cruise prices are usually low enough where a 10% savings isn't meaningful enough for me to cede control and risk a mistake. And frankly, I have never found a TA who can dip 7%-10% below the lowest price that I get direct. I suppose I could if I booked 2 years in advance on a popular sailing. But I usually stick with super sales and would typically get quotes from TAs that would shave $50-$75 off of that at best. For that level of savings, I prefer to keep control over my booking.

 

My sentiments, exactly. I book 2-3 cruises a year directly with Princess. After all the raving here on CC about the benefits of TA's I tried one with a short 4-day cruise to see what would happen. The TA matched the same rate Princess offered and included nothing other than a sweet BonVoyage email. I then booked a 15 day cruise with the TA, after I did all the leg work. About 4 months before the cruise I saw a price drop and contacted the TA. He poo-pooed the sale and said to ignore it because there most likely would be a better one soon. Well, it didn't happen. No new sale and we cruised with the original price that I FOUND with only a $50 OBC added.

 

Who needs that? I keep an eye on my own bookings and control all aspects. I can live without the additional OBC that some people swear by in order to have full control over my bookings.